Dinking with Dow Podcast: Rob Nunnery: My Pickle Brother

 

Getting the Inside Scoop with Pro Pickleball Player Rob Nunnery

The Dinking with Dow podcast hosted an entertaining and insightful discussion with world-class professional pickleball player Rob Nunnery. Greg Dow, a former pro tennis player turned pickleball pro, engaged Rob in a wide-ranging dialogue covering Rob's doubles success, pickleball's evolution, and spicy takes on controversies in the sport. Their humorous rapport provided an enjoyable listen for both casual and diehard pickleball fans.

Dissecting Greg Dow's Ever-Changing Hairstyles

The conversation kicked off analyzing Greg's frequently transforming hairstyles and his love-hate relationship with his current cut. Greg explained how his girlfriend Riley had recently given him an amateur haircut with kitchen scissors. While impressed by Riley's surprisingly solid scissor skills, Greg remained unsatisfied with the messy results.

After Rob complimented Greg's fresh style, Greg solicited hair advice on achieving an intentional "bedhead" look. Rob recommended matte styling paste to style Greg's shorter top and tight sides. This meta hair discussion exemplified the podcast's blend of pickleball insights and friendly banter.

Evaluating Rob Nunnery and Andrei Daescu's Doubles Dominance

Shifting to pickleball topics, Greg and Rob analyzed Rob's phenomenal partnership with fellow pro Andrei Daescu. They recapped Rob and Andrei's impressive run at a recent 25k tournament, musing how the team's intense competitive mentality propelled their success.

While Rob and Andrei ultimately lost in the finals to the sport's top-ranked team, their outstanding performance solidified their status among pickleball's elite. Greg ranked Rob and Andrei as the clear Number 3 men's doubles team, even over other talented individuals like Matt Wright and Riley Newman.

According to Rob, he and Andrei owe their effectiveness to seamless chemistry developed over years of playing together. Their perfectly balanced skillsets and mutual trust in each other's abilities facilitate flawless teamwork.

Decoding Andrei Daescu's Fun Personality On and Off the Court

Delving deeper on Rob's doubles partner, Greg inquired about Andrei's off-court personality. Rob dispelled potential misconceptions about Andrei's intense on-court demeanor by highlighting his gregarious and humorous disposition.

For example, Rob described Andrei comically trash-talking opponents under his breath during matches. Andrei also constantly pokes fun at other players, albeit never confrontational.

Beyond his lighthearted character, Rob praised Andrei's outstanding work ethic. Despite his already incredible ability, Andrei's dedication to continuous improvement set a standard for the whole pickleball community.

Switching topics, Rob analyzed his personal strengths and weaknesses as a doubles player. He felt most comfortable dictating play from the right side with controlled aggression. However, from the left he sometimes over-extended in attempting overly aggressive shots.

Rob resolved to emulate his right-side discipline when playing on the left. By avoiding unforced errors, he could maximize his partnerships' potential.

Ranking Pickleball's Top Left-Handed Male Players

In an interesting segment, Greg and Rob ranked their tiers among pickleball's best left-handed male doubles players. The consensus top three featured Ben Johns, JW Johnson and Riley Newman.

They debated candidates for the next grouping, with Rob advocating for Andre Daescu's inclusion thanks to his technical consistency. Other players like Tyson Apostol, while talented, lacked Andrei's shot-making proficiency according to Rob.

Despite varying playing styles, the tier's players all excelled directing offense on the left side. However, chemistry with the right-side partner remained equally crucial in doubles.

Examining the Mixed Doubles Debate in Pickleball

Shifting the conversation's tone, Greg asked Rob to weigh in on pickleball's controversial mixed doubles format. Both vehemently disapproved of mixed doubles, believing matches devolved into women being marginalized.

They discussed mixed doubles potentially declining as the men's game rapidly improves. Rob instead proposed innovative alternative formats, including a singles match supplementing the standard men's and women's doubles.

Surprised by mixed doubles prominence, Rob recounted entering tournaments naively unaware mixed doubles constituted a main event. He argued true fans and players craved watching elite men's teams compete rather than mixed blowouts.

Regardless, Rob resigned himself to improving at mixed doubles given its seeming inevitability. But he remained open to potential format modifications as pickleball continues evolving.

Predicting Outcomes of Upcoming Professional Tournaments

Discussing the professional pickleball calendar, Rob predicted he and Andrei would maintain their steady success at an upcoming event. However, he identified room for improvement communicating with partner Martin Emmrich in mixed doubles tournaments.

While mixed doubles results flummoxed him, Rob felt confident he and Martin would excel if exercising controlled aggression. He forecasted men's doubles would dominate mixed doubles in television ratings and fan enthusiasm moving forward.

Proposing Pickleball Topics for Over/Under Betting

The podcast concluded with Greg testing Rob's predictive abilities through entertaining over/under bets. After explaining over/under betting principles, Greg proposed wagering lines on Rob and Andrei's upcoming games lost and head-to-head records.

Rob projected a subdued confidence in his team's continued excellence. Further over/under bets included the longevity of Rob's professional career and pickleball's potential for increased televised coverage. While avoiding bold proclamations, Rob expressed faith in pickleball's rosy outlook.

Recognizing a Special Guest

Throughout the free-flowing conversation, Greg repeatedly praised Rob's positive impact on his budding pickleball venture. He thanked Rob for insightful advice and frequent professional opportunities.

For both novices and aficionados, the rapport between Greg and Rob provided not only knowledge straight from the pros, but also an enjoyable glimpse into their friendship. As pickleball's popularity expands, the Dinking with Dow podcast stands poised to grow right alongside it.